What Remains of Elizabeth Clove | COMPLETED & IN EDITING

Chapter 13

The first thing I saw was a bright, white light. I thought to myself, 'So this is what happens when you die.'

My fantasies were quickly interrupted by the beeping of a heart monitor, then a TV, and finally, my mom's voice.

Her face came into focus when I blinked my eyes opened for what felt for the first time in years. On a side note, the light I had actually seen wasn't heaven. It was the light above my hospital bed.

"Oh Max!" My mother wrapped her arms around me, smothering my surprized seld. She had actually called me Max for once, not Maxine. "You're awake.." She said softly as she pulled away from me, tears shimmering in her glassy eyes. I smiled weakly, confused. "So I didn't..." I paused. "Nevermind." How come I hadn't died like Liz had before? I felt the unfamiliar feeling of metal against my neck, and I touched it gingerly. The locket. Thank God the locket was safe. "The nurse is on her way. How are you feeling?" She asked me, stroking back a stray strand of hair from in front of my face. "My arm hurts.." I muttered. My mom pushed back the covers from under me. My arm was in a sling, that much I had noticed without the blanket, but my left foot had acquired a new accessory- a boot cast. "You've been out for two days Max." She whispered. "You could've died." I could see that I actually worried her. "What were you thinking?"

Swallowing my pride, I looked around the hospital room, the image becoming more watery with tears every second. I had almost died because of Liz. Because of some stupid notebook that I had let control my life and actions. My mind went back to that first day, that first day when Cam and I went to the Turkey Hill, following and trusting Liz's instructions, and hr had asked the same question that was running through my head at that exact moment.

Was all this really worth it?

"I'm sorry." I said softly to my mom, not daring to look her in the eye. That would only cause more tears to fall down my cheeks. Her hand brushed mine. "For what sweetheart?" I looked at her, and my eyes helped tell the story of what had happened over the past few weeks.

The sadness.

The fear.

The lies.

Everything.

"I'm sorry for everything." I told her, not explaining anything at all. My mother looked at me like she was going to say something, but let me lean against her shoulder and cry, letting me invade her personal space, something she rarely let anyone do. She was being my mom, and that was enough.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked quietly, rubbing her hands on my head gently. "I couldn't mom, you wouldn't understand." I said, annoyed that she was still talking about this. "Sometimes you have to let people know things to make a difference." I froze. She made a good point.

I knew what I had to do.

"Thank you for coming in today, Max." The police officer, whose badge read Cambell said. Her hand reached out for mine, and she squeezed it gently. "I know the past few days have been tough." Pulling my hand away quickly, I asked, "Where's Sheriff Glean? Isn't he in charge of Liz's case? Shouldn't he be here?" Officer Cambell sighed. "He had some new information he had to investigate." She explained. Folding her hands on top of her desk, she asked the question I knew would either make what had happened over the past weeks either seem worth it or worthless.

"What happened?"

I took a deep breath and explained everything. Explained the notebook, explained the party, the pot, the alley way, and what had happened at homecoming.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Officer Cambell asked. "Because she told me not to." I responded. "Elizabeth?" "Liz.""And why did you come today?" I gulped, and the thing that had been nagging in the corners of my mind rose to the surface.

"I don't think Liz's death was an act of suicide, or even an accident. What happened to Elizabeth Clove was purposeful. " I took a deep, shaky breath. "I think someone had been after Liz ever since that night in the alleyway. I think she was indirectly murdered."

Officer Cambell was silent for a moment. "That's a very seriously alligation Max." She said softly. "We'll take it into consideration." Rage boiled inside of me. "Take it into consideration?!" I hissed. "Yes Max, that's a huge claim and there is not enough evidence to support it. " She said calmly. "Not enough evidence?! Are you fucking kidding me?!" I slammed my hands on the table, anger coursing through my veins. I hadn't spilled out my soul for no reason. "Ms. Rudd, please calm down. There's no reason to get upset." Officer Cambell said slowly. Before I could say anything more, my mother entered the room. "I heard yelling. Is everything okay?" Her concerned eyes gazed over mine, worry flooding her face. Officer Cambell plastered a fake grin onto her face. "Everything's fine." She turned to look at me. "In face, we're done." Glaring at the policewoman, I stood, not thanking her for her time, despite my mother's repeated instructions to do so. As we walked out, Sheriff Glean was walking in. "Sheriff!" My mom called his name, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Mrs. Rudd, such a pleasure." He smiled forcefully. "And Max, how is your arm and leg?" I shrugged. "It's okay, I guess.." I muttered. The Sheriff and my mom talked about something important, I caught a bit of bridge safety, which was important, considering my plight off of Byer's Bridge two days earlier. "Hey Max?" The Sheriff addressed me. At this point I really just wanted to get home. "Just remember that it's no fun to spy little lady. It could get you in serious trouble-especially if it's something that isn't your own business. Remember that."

My heart dropped suddenly. I had those words before, in Liz's notebook. Everything clicked. He had been there since the very beginning, watching, waiting for us to make a mistake, to slip up, so he could find out if he needed to finish the job he had started.

Sheriff Glean was the man in the alleyway. He was the man who had started it all . He was the reason Elizabeth Clove was dead.

"I'm sorry Sheriff, but what does that have to do with bridge safety?" My mom asked, confused. Glean narrowed his eyes at me. "She knows." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. It was terrifying.

He tipped his head in a goodbye and walked inside the police station.

Sitting in the front seat of my mom's car, my mind raced with thoughts. Cam. He needed to know. He needed to know that we were both in danger. He needed to know why LIz was dead.

Absentmindedly, I touched my neck, which immediately contacted metal. The locket. So much had happened that I had forgotten about the second thing Liz had left behind. I ignored my mother's questions and went straight to my room, pulling off the locket.

Inside was a note. It was small, but it was enough to change everything. There, in Liz's handwriting, the note read, "Come find me.", along with a phone number and an address for somewhere in.. New York.

All that remained of Liz here had been uncovered, and now it was time to find what remained of her elsewhere.

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